


Small Town, Big Secrets

by McNerdy



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Kazuichi is a bisexual disaster, M/M, Pls forgive my attempts at Gundham speak, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26977999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McNerdy/pseuds/McNerdy
Summary: The quiet town of Suich sits on the western coast. It is often grey and rainy, and surrounded by rich boreal forests. Nothing ever happens, unless you are Kazuichi Souda, a young mechanic with a penchant for getting bullied. Little does he know, that a change of appearance may cause more harm than good...
Relationships: Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 16
Kudos: 154





	1. Color Change

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first ever posted fanfiction! The town this takes place in is heavily inspired by Forks in Twilight, just because I enjoy the aesthetic of a grey coastal town surrounded by trees and rocky cliffs. I still tried to make it vague as to where geographically it is, because everyone is Japanese in this story so I wanted it to fit. I've also only played the games for Danganronpa, so if some characterization seems to be OOC I apologize. Potential smut in later chapters, I will change rating if I get that far hehe. Enjoy!

Nestled in a coastal boreal forest, at the base of one of many mountains in the area, was the small town of Suich. 

Suich was often grey and rainy, most of the townspeople knew each other, but it was still big enough for some to escape largely unnoticed by those around them.

One such person is plain old Kazuichi Souda, who lived with his mother and father closer to the edge of town. They had a two story house, however, it would be considered small to any other family. The exterior paint was faded, much like the surrounding houses, and the trees planted in the yards of each property were big enough to shroud large portions of the street. 

Kazuichi helped his father out in the family-owned mechanic shop. From his interest in tinkering, he soon became level in skill with his father, and would offer to repair appliances for customers as well. He had an interest in how things worked, and he was determined to master his mechanical craft.

Despite his pride in repairing machines and learning how things worked, Kazuichi could not understand how other people worked. They were complicated, with feelings and motives. More often than not Kazuichi fell victim to his peers befriending him only to torment him after he opened up to him. He tried and failed several times, before feeling like wanting to give up completely on trying to make friends, especially since he was tormented over the most juvenile things. Man, people were so cruel!

The most cruel of which was with a classmate known to cause problems. Nagito. This was the most recent-and last-person Kazuichi tried to make friends with. He figured since they were both outcasts it could work, but when Nagito learned of Kazuichi’s low income home life, the prick decided even  _ he _ was better than the mechanic. This led to a series of inconspicuous but aggravating pranks, that only gave the rest of the class more excuse to disregard and outcast Kazuichi. 

Today Kazuichi found himself waiting for the day to end and spare him from listening to any more of Ms. Usami's biology lecture, he absently stared out the window. So far Nagito hadn’t done anything, and that may have been from the anti-bullying assembly that the school had to sit through. However, Kazuichi would not be so  _ lucky _ . 

Raising his palms to his mouth, Nagito blew into them, resulting in a sound not unlike an awful case of flatulence. Before anyone could notice, he pulled his hands away quickly, preparing for the second part of his act.

"Oh my GOD! Kazuichi why the fuck did you do that?" Nagito cried, waving his hands past his nose.

Kazuichi, wanting nothing more than to fade into the brick wall beside him, pulled his beanie over his face as his classmates laughed or scoffed in disgust. He could not believe his peers would so quickly believe in such an obviously fake fart noise, but at this point he could do nothing to be any less guilty in the eyes of the majority.

"Mind your manners!" Mahiru screeched.

"Nah man das nastaaay!" Teruteru gagged, waving his hands to fan the fake stink away.

Ms. Usami desperately tried to gather the attention of her students back, with apologetic glances to Kazuichi, who was bright red with anger, instead of the class-wide assumed embarrassment.

The bell rang, and as the students filtered out, Kazuichi was stopped at his desk by Nagito. The mechanic begrudgingly looked up at the other boy, whose face was twisted in a condescending glance.

"You're such a loser Kazuichi, I hope you realize that before it's too late." Nagito sneered, acting as if talking to Kazuichi was a waste of his time, and not something he was actively doing to torment the mechanic even more.

"Fuck off Nagito, ya prick."

"I would be careful if I were you." Nagito tutted, before walking away.

' _ Fucking asshole! _ ' Kazuichi thought, before packing his bag and leaving.

\---

Since the shame faced in class, Kazuichi avoided going onto the bus. He didn't need another reason to wish he was invisible. It wasn’t raining too hard outside today, and the cool air was good on his searing frustration at his situation. If he wasn’t poor, would he still be bullied? Is it that he’s an only child? He often found himself going in mental circles every time this happened, his chest felt hollow and the world took even more bleak of a hue beyond the already washed out greys. 

He ducked past a row of shops, they were often nothing more than cheap products or homemade items from the bored soccer moms in the area, but something to his side in the display window caught his attention. Kazuichi turned, and found himself in awe of what he saw. He saw potential, a new opportunity, a new him.

In the reflection of the window, Kazuichi had unknowingly lined himself up perfectly with a display for hair dye, his reflection had neon pink hair, and he loved it. It was so bold and daring, something he never was on his own.

Figuring he had found exactly what he needed in a change of appearance, he entered the store. Kazuichi bought two boxes of dye, and a box of hair bleach. Continuing on his streak, Kazuichi also picked up a pair of matching pink contact lenses. He figured that if he was gonna go, he had to go all the way. 

He was going to make a big change in his life with this, and now this meant his future would be on  _ his _ terms. No more hiding behind notebooks and taking his torment. Especially from that creep, Nagito. 

Kazuichi was going to  _ kick ass _ .


	2. Punkasses

After a long evening of bleaching, dyeing and training himself to wear contact lenses, Kazuichi was ready. When he arrived at school he stood straight, and walked with determination through the hallway. Kazuichi felt his chest swell with pride and trepidation as the other students took notice, the crowded hallways were parted for him. He could feel the glances and stares of the other high schoolers, he heard whispers of girls wondering about his relationship status, and he could feel the void in his chest lift with an almost airy joy. 

But there was one thing Kazuichi needed to address, and set straight. With the attention of his peers gassing him up, he took this opportunity. Winding through the hallways, he took faster strides, until his target was in sight.

Nagito had opened his locker door, and in one swift motion, Kazuichi slammed it back shut. The light-haired teen squeaked in reply, before fixing a cold glare on the offender. 

"Oh hey Ka-"

The sentence from Nagito was left incomplete when Kazuichi sucker punched him, knocking him to the floor in one hit. He took the opportunity while Nagito was dazed to fix the other with a condescending glare he had practiced in the mirror that morning. 

Nagito glared back up at the now pink haired teen, his face turning bright red as the realization of the situation hit him. Any potential jab at Kazuichi was cut short, when the impossible silence of the hallway was broken by a commotion.

"Ooh a fight! Ibuki wants to see a fight!" 

"Ibuki wait!"

Two voices rang out in the hush, Ibuki Mioda and Leon Kuwata shoved to the front of the group, the latter desperately trying to control the former. They were what Kazuichi referred to as punkasses, Leon for seemingly giving up a successful baseball career that was practically handed to him on a silver platter, and Ibuki for her tendency to refer to herself in the third person, and a knack for creating heavy metal screamo music.

"He hit me!" Nagito screeched.

"And I'll hit you again! I'm tired of your shit, you freak!" Kazuichi sneered. “I fucking dare you to pull anything again,” a pause to chuckle. “I would be careful if I were you.” 

The silence of the hallway was cut with a wave of “ooh”’s and when Kazuichi turned to leave, the sea of students parted. He was well aware of both the mass of cell phones recording the event, and his being followed by Ibuki and Leon. he made his way to his locker, and upon opening it, he was flanked by the other brightly-haired students.

"What's your name? Why did you hit Nagito? I'm Ibukiiiiiiii!" Ibuki hovered, she was practically vibrating with glee, and it didn't take long for Kazuichi to successfully tune her out.

Leon leaned against an unopened locker nearby, giving Kazuichi an earnest glance.

"So, you know Nagito is gonna make your life hell now right?" Leon asked. “You decked the  _ one guy _ who gets away with being a jerk.”

Kazuichi chuckled, shaking his head, he flashed Leon a sharp-toothed grin.

"I am fully prepared for that, no keener is gonna stop me."

Leon smiled at that notion, holding out his hand for a fist-bump to the other student, while Ibuki leaned against the other side of the lockers.

"If you don't get suspended later, hang out with us!" She winked.

The bell rang, and the two were gone. Deciding to do the same, Kazuichi closed his locker, and made his way to his shop class. He would be lying if he said he didn’t have a skip in his step, whether he got in trouble or not, everything was totally worth it.

\---

It had been three months since then, and Kazuichi was happier with his two newfound genuine friends, Leon and Ibuki. Since the incident that morning Nagito had slowly begun to lay off him, as did the other students who bullied him. He did get suspended for three days, but it gave him more time to work in the shop, which he didn't mind. 

While his life was made much easier now, Kazuichi still struggled with anxiety, and was still easily scared. He avoided the bus, and hated cramped hallways. Sure, the latter actually  _ parted _ for him now, as he was practically a pseudo-celebrity. Punching Nagito was the most eventful thing that happened in the school since Nekomaru shit his pants in the hallway (apparently the hall was  _ too _ crowded for him to make it to the facilities).

Outside of the school, a string of vigilantism rendered Kazuichi’s eventful school life into simple background noise. It felt like almost every other day the town woke up to a new criminal ziptied outside the police station. In each case, the victim would be disoriented, and pale from having lost a great deal of blood. The victims could never remember who had attacked them, yet due to outstanding warrants, they were often arrested quickly after being found. Some suggested police brutality, while others were uneasy with the fact that someone  _ else _ was doing the police’s job  _ better than they were _ . 

While that unease tainted the rainy air of the town, it proved to be ineffective against the punkass trio Kazuichi found himself a part of. He and his new friends were often found lurking the mall, arcade, or movie theatre, causing harmless hijinks wherever they were present. Of course, these outings happened after Kazuichi would finish his shifts with his father. 

One night, Kazuichi, Ibuki and Leon were out late playing video games in the arcade. As mentioned, it was a frequent spot for them, Kazuichi was in the owner's debt for repairing the machines to better than new on a regular basis. They had seemingly mastered their luck with accumulating tickets from the various games, especially those of chance. The flashing lights and thunderous noise of the arcade could not tire the spirits of the three, especially not with their prizes in tow. That was, of course, until the venue had to close for the night.

Calling it a night, The three left the arcade, Ibuki and Leon lived in a different neighborhood and had to walk home a seperate way. Splitting up, Kazuichi was left to walk alone through Suich. Sure, he knew Suich like the back of his hand, but that didn’t mean it was any less eerie in the dead of night. Especially considering the weird vigilante on the loose. Kazuichi might look like a punk, but he wasn’t so bad as to break the law.

In order to keep himself calm, Kazuichi lost himself in thought. He felt significantly more carefree now that he had friends he could really trust. They might have been a couple of punkasses, but even his parents had noted a visible change in his behaviour. He hated worrying them, so it felt good to hear his mother say she was happy that he was happy. 

He felt more than just happy, he was elated. Kazuichi had friends, real friends, and his life was making a turn for the better.

As if the universe heard his thoughts, a chill rose up his spine, and a wave of terror took over the young mechanic. Frantically, he glanced around at his surroundings. Unable to discern anything different in the darkness, Kazuichi walked faster. He couldn't escape the feeling of being watched.

_ ‘Oh shit, I need to get outta here!’ _ Kazuichi thought, as his dread rose and pace quickened even further.

His heart began to race as the feeling got worse, causing him to break out in a nervous sweat. In a desperate attempt to avoid the feeling, Kazuichi ducked down an alley. It immediately proved to be a big mistake, because as soon as darkness enveloped him Kazuichi felt his apprehension reach its peak. 

A pair of strong hands grabbed him, and he was slammed against a nearby brick wall. He gasped as the texture of the wall cut into his body, and an overbearing presence seemed to suffocate him.

Kazuichi's breath hitched, and he squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head away from his captor. He tried to struggle, but his wrists were in a vice grip at his sides, keeping him against the rough wall. The smell of rain faded, and he became vaguely aware of a soft lavender scent, which was followed by the smell of hay and dust.

"Look upon your captor, foolish mortal!"

At the barked command, Kazuichi opened his eyes, and was met with a handsome, yet terrifying man, glaring down at him with a deep, burning rage. He shut his eyes again, beginning to tremble in the man's grip. Oh man oh man he did  _ not _ want to be mugged tonight! Everything was going so well!

"P-please, j-j-just take my wallet, th-that's w-what you want isn't i-it?" Kazuichi sniveled.

The red-grey heterochromatic glare of the man before him did not waiver, Kazuichi could feel as much when the grip on his wrists tightened.

"It is not your foolish worldly possessions I desire, mortal." The man growled. "You dared enter my realm, the shroud of darkness, where I roam. Much like other mortals who wish to cause harm. For that you must pay."

Kazuichi dared sneak a peek at this man, since hearing what he was sure to be complete gibberish. 

“Wh-What?”

The man scoffed, before shaking his head. After a moment, seemingly one of sizing up Kazuichi, he let go of the teen. It was this movement that made Kazuichi realize that this man was close in age to him. His dark hair with streaks of grey, pale skin, his eyes, and his clothing choices made the mechanic wonder why he had never seen this guy before. If he stood out in Suich for his pink hair, surely this guy would be everyone’s favourite enigma.

“Why are you in my realm, mortal? Do you not wish to fall victim to the darkness that surrounds you?” The man asked.

Kazuichi rubbed his wrists, the man was still too close for comfort, forcing Kazuichi to stay against the brick wall.

“I-I just want to go home, m-man.” Kazuichi muttered. “My friends and I-I were out l-late.” 

“Make haste then, and if I happen upon you again, this night will be your last!” 

With an uproarious laugh, the man seemed to disappear from before Kazuichi. Not wasting a second, Kazuichi flew into a sprint towards his house. He was still three blocks away, but he was scared of whoever or whatever that man was. 

Kazuichi did not stop his mad dash until he had locked the front door of his house behind him. He was so terrified he couldn’t fully remember the run home, just that he took three great steps onto the porch and across the threshold. 

Desperately regaining his breath, Kazuichi sighed, and kicked off his shoes. When he made his way up the stairs and to his small room, he was unable to sleep easily, as the man’s face was at the forefront of his mind. Those eyes were petrifying, but as his heart began to race anew, Kazuichi couldn't tell if it was from fear, or something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna say a big ol' "Thank You!" to all the positive feedback I got on the last chapter! y'all really are too kind


	3. Man of Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazuichi had a run-in with a complete stranger, and now he can't think straight. The answer his friends bring him to might be stranger still...

After his harrowing experience that night, Kazuichi wanted nothing more than to forget about it. The man who cornered him stayed present in Kazuichi's mind, his pale skin, heterochromatic eyes, and his overbearing presence left the pink-haired teen reeling. 

Who was that guy? What did he want with Kazuichi and why did he let him go? It was too much. Especially when the third question came to mind.

Why was he…  _ handsome? _

The following week and weekend went by slowly for the mechanic. He had a constant feeling of being watched, he felt as if he was still in the same atmosphere he felt that night. One so dreadfully eerie, where he thought he was going to die, and his heart raced a mile a minute. 

The worst part was that he still couldn't figure out what that guy wanted with him! The more Kazuichi thought, the more he suspected that the guy was some sort of vigilante type. It would fit, considering the string of vigilantism in Suich, but that guy couldn’t be  _ the _ vigilante, right? He was too young! 

After having thought enough, Kazuichi presented his thoughts to his friends.

“Whoa, WHAT?!” Leon cried, mouth agape at the story. 

It was the lunch hour at Suich High School, where the oddball trio were sitting outside of the school on a staircase shrouded in shadows from the towering evergreens. The rain had seemingly paused for a day, and in an attempt to hide from the offensive sunlight, they had sought the cool shade of an outdoor staircase to eat their lunches in. 

“I know! He like, disappeared, and I was so scared I just ran home.” Kazuichi explained. “I have no idea at all about this guy.”

“Besides that he's totally weird and roughly our age?” Ibuki added, between bites of her cafeteria bought BLT sandwich. 

“I can see literally everything else tho, like maybe there's some closet weirdo around here that dresses like that and tries to be a hero or something.” Leon frowned, before chuckling to himself. “I mean, we got freaks like Hifumi and Mukuro just walking around!” 

There was a pause between the three while they were hard in thought, Ibuki trying and failing several times to steal a chip from the bag on Kazuichi’s tray. The distant shouts of the football team in their lunchtime practice paired with the soft rustle of trees in the wind was all the noise that broke the silence.

“Say, Kaz, how  _ did _ the guy disappear? Did he just back off? Or like…?”

Kazuichi stared down at his tray, finally tucking his chip bag out of the reach of the energetic musician. 

“I mean… he just sorta, faded? I don’t know how to describe it, it was dark and he might've just stepped back into a shadow and I was too scared to notice.”

Another pause befell the group, before Ibuki perked up, almost knocking her tray off of her lap.

“Could be a ghost! I’m partnered with this girl in my english class and all she  _ talks _ about are ghosts! Good thing we’re reading  _ Hamlet _ then, eh?” 

“Isn’t she an exchange student from another country?” Leon asked. “That weird preppy chick, uh, Sonia I think?”

Rolling his eyes, Kazuichi felt his plagued apprehension quickly fade to irritability. There’s  _ no such thing _ as ghosts! Of course Ibuki had to be partnered with some occult fanatic to make this situation worse. It also didn’t help that Kazuichi had a massive crush on Sonia, one turned sour during one of Nagito’s many attempts to further ruin Kazuichi’s social life.

“I mean, maybe we could ask her if there are ghosts in Suich, she’d know.” Leon shrugged.

“He was  _ not _ a ghost! He was a physical dude, he literally grabbed me!” Kazuichi scoffed.

Ibuki, having scarfed down the last of her food, stood up and threw her backpack on. She had a look on her face that in the last few months Kazuichi learned the hard way it meant that they were going to talk to Sonia,  _ no questions asked. _

“The only way to find out is to go ask Sonia, and we still have a half hour left for lunch, so let's get a moooooove on boys!” 

\---

The school library was the largest library in the prefecture, and as usual, it was crammed with students. From nerds at their lunch table, to straight A students desperately trying to study for upcoming tests. Amongst them were the students with niche interests, using the computers to further research their interests that were not covered in a given class. 

Sitting amongst a group of theatre students gushing over  _ Hamilton _ , Sonia Nevermind was happily humming away on her own. 

Kazuichi felt his chest tighten at the sight of her. She was someone he avoided, much like the bus or crowded hallways. Ever since Nagito absolutely ruined his chances with her, he was too embarrassed to face her, she was still gorgeous, with hair one would see in beauty commercials, and a perfectly tailored outfit that brought out the color of her eyes. 

_ Oh fuck, not again _ . Kazuichi thought to himself. He had to hold back a swoon as she made eye contact with him. She was so pretty, and he still liked her! At least a little bit!

“Heyyyy Sonia!” Ibuki called, pulling the girl into a hug. “We were looking for you!”

Sonia pulled out her earphones, and smiled at the trio.

“That's nice! Is there anything I can help you with?”

Leon pointedly glanced at Kazuichi, who raised an arm to scratch at the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact with the exchange student. 

“We wanted to talk to ya about ghosts that are in Suich.” Kazuichi muttered.

At the mention of ghosts, Sonia perked up. Sparkles seemed to fill her eyes, and she frantically opened a new tab on her computer. 

“There are so many ghosts in this town, you’ll have to be specific.” Sonia started. “We have the three reportedly in this school, one in an apartment complex on main-street, several in houses that were built over alleged murder scenes, and then-” 

The three brightly-haired teens paused at the list that only seemed to get longer. Sonia didn’t seem to be interested in pausing for an answer, and at the rate she was going, nobody wanted her to.

“-the junior high school’s art teacher that threatened to haunt people if she didn't live past 100, that one is sad, she died at 99. Or-”

Kazuichi felt his previous frustration rise at the ever growing list of Suich haunts. Ghosts were  _ not _ real, or he’d have heard of some of these. He shouldn’t have listened to Ibuki, this must be her way of getting back at him for not giving away any of his chips. 

“-or the family that died in a car accident three years ago, but everyone keeps seeing the son around town?”

“Maybe let's start with that one?” Leon asked, jumping at the pause in Sonia’s explanation enough to say something. 

Kazuichi eyed the shorter teen, and Leon shared a glance with him, making a gesture with his hand to suggest that he also thought the idea of a ghost encounter was a little too far fetched. He tisked, if Leon felt that way, why did he help pitch this idea in the first place?

After a brief period of clacking away at the keyboard, Sonia clapped her hands together. She looked at the three with a smile not unlike that of a proud mother.

“The ghost of Gundham Tanaka.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so.... the plot thickens


	4. Ghost Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonia teaches Kazuichi and friends about the mysterious death of the Tanaka family. Afterwards, a bold plan is made...

‘Almost three years ago, a high school senior and his family were visiting relatives outside of Suich. They left on November second, arriving at their destination the next town over, Fort Leshores. The trip was four hours overall, with Mr.Tanaka driving, Mrs.Tanaka in the passenger seat, and Gundham and his sister in the back seat.’

‘The Tanakas were wealthy, coming from old money due to a patent for a recipe for high quality pet food. While the Tanakas are not currently in the pet food industry, they have been able to maintain their wealth through breeding and animal competitions.’

‘It is believed that the relatives that were visited that night were Mrs.Tanaka’s brother and his family. They were not overly fond of Mr.Tanaka, as they had a falling out early in Mr. and Mrs.Tanaka’s relationship over the treatment of animals.’

‘Mrs.Tanaka came from a family of wealthy hunters, and Mr.Tanaka, having a deeply rooted love of animals, was offended at this idea. He saw modern hunting to be selfish. It did not help that Mrs.Tanaka’s extended relatives were trophy hunters, frequently visiting places like Africa, Asia, or Canada for highly sought animals, such as giraffes, lions, tigers, elephants, buffalo-both water and American-, moose, caribou, and polar bears.’

“Whoa whoa whoa, what does this have to do with the ghost?” Kazuichi asked, interrupting Sonia’s spiel.

“Shh, she's getting there!” Ibuki hissed.

‘Anyway, the hunting habits of Mrs.Tanaka’s family was a sore point for Mr.Tanaka, and it was often something that Gundham would mention to his friends. It was a stress for the family that made visits to relatives-specifically Mrs.Tanaka’s close brother-difficult.’

‘The night of the visit, there are accounts of a falling out happening, but they are difficult to discern. You see, Gundham and his sister both had texted their friends about the situation in order to avoid being directly involved in the argument, while Mrs.Tanaka’s brother and his family flat out denied that anything of the sort took place.’

‘Shortly after their arrival and the argument, the Tanakas decided to return home, but in the five hours since their arrival, a thick layer of wet snow had fallen, making driving conditions difficult. It also doesn't help that it was extremely dark out.’

‘They had made the majority of the drive home, just before the Tanakas re-entered Suich’s town limits, their vehicle lost traction on black ice and Mr.Tanaka was unable to regain control, causing the Tanaka family to drive off the edge of a bridge. The scene itself was apparently pretty gruesome, it was difficult to discern who was who in the wreck, and Gundham, having changed his position to nap in the car, was ejected from the vehicle at some point in the collision.’

‘The accident was not reported until several days later, when the snow had settled and revealed some of the vehicle. Nobody knew or suspected that anything had happened, because of both of the intended length of the visit, and because of the argument. Mrs.Tanaka’s brother thought he was getting some form of silent treatment, while family friends in Suich did not expect the Tanakas to return early.’

‘The death of the family was ruled as an accident by police, due to the driving conditions. A funeral was held by Mrs.Tanaka’s brother, and the remains were buried in the Fort Leshores cemetery. This was seen as a controversial move by close friends of Mr.Tanaka, because the rest of the Tanaka family has been buried in Suich.’

“Christ, that's rough.” Leon winced. 

“Shh!” Kazuichi and Ibuki retorted, now invested in the story.

‘Now, the  _ ghost _ sightings did not start until the following spring, where Gundham was seen gathering groceries at the supermarket on third street. He was otherwise unresponsive to anyone who spoke to him, and any camera footage of him on the store's CCTV was erased.’

‘Hikers have seen him up on the trail, but he would quickly vanish. The family mansion-which has sat abandoned since the accident-has reportedly had its lights turn on and off, sometimes a heavy fog surrounds the mansion or a dogs bark can be heard in the area. Sadly, the Gundham sightings caused the graduating class of that year to elect him as valedictorian, as a tasteless senior prank.’ 

‘He is known to appear as full-body apparitions, wearing his signature style, dark clothes, a long coat, and a purple scarf. As seen in this picture from before his death.’

Sonia stopped her explanation, and turned the monitor to the three, whom during the explanation pulled up chairs to sit and listen to Sonia. Upon seeing the image, however, Kazuichi’s breath hitched, and a cold sweat broke out across his brow. 

It was the same guy as that night! The same guy who pinned him against a wall, and tried to mug him, or arrest him, or… something. The heterochromatic eyes, the pale skin, everything was there!

Kazuichi stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. 

“No fucking thank you! I appreciate your time tho Sonia!” He blurted, turning to put his chair away and leave. 

Leon and Ibuki, dumbfounded at the response form their pink-haired friend, also hurriedly got up, following him out of the library.

“Hey, wait!” Leon barked.

Falling into a corner of the hallway, Kazuichi turned to face the two now worried friends. 

“I don’t know what the hell that was, but good work, ya got me! I'm really scared.” Kazuichi snapped. “Here I am, acting a fool, thinking you two are different, th-that you’re  _ not _ gonna be a dick to me like everyone else has been, but look at me, still fuckin’ gullible to shit. You even  _ hired an actor?! _ ” 

"Oh please!" Leon scoffed. "Where the fuck are we gonna hire an actor? Do you even  _ hear _ yourself?"

"Ghosts aren't  _ real _ Leon! How the fuck was Sonia able to show a picture of the exact guy who attacked me last week?"

"I don't know man! But we didn't hire a fuckin actor." 

"Yeah, besides, most of the actors we know are the drama kids, and they're  _ scared _ of us." Ibuki chuckled sheepishly. "But we're not the type to try to 'get' you like the other assholes you knew in your life Kazuichi! This probably isn't a ghost, maybe they're all still alive or something." 

Kazuichi sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine, okay, whatever, what should we do now?" 

Before either Ibuki or Leon could reply, a third voice broke the oppressive silence.

"Go to the mansion, obviously." Nagito chirped

Kazuichi fixed a cold glare on the teen, who had backed off since getting a shiner a few months back. The glare only faltered slightly when Kazuichi realized that in his daze he had wandered straight into the hallway where Nagito's locker was.

"This doesn't concern you, nerd!" Leon barked, turning to face Nagito.

"Au contraire, it does." Nagito sneered, his condescending tone returning. "I wouldn't expect any of  _ you _ to realize, but I happen to be one of the many that have spotted Gundham in the last few years, and I can tell you for a fact that you'll find him in his family's mansion. Whether or not he's a ghost, I can't answer!" 

"Fuck off, will ya?" Ibuki growled, shooting a harsh glare at the offending teen. "Don't make me remind you of what happened the last time you pissed me off!"

Kazuichi balked, not at Nagito, but at Ibuki. Since his becoming a friend with the musician, he knew her to be relatively patient and carefree. He never knew her to get  _ actually _ angry.

The threat seemed to stop Nagito, who rolled his eyes, and left the three with a dismissive wave.

"I pantsed him in gym class a few weeks ago. Hyoko suggested it." Ibuki chuckled.

Kazuichi and Leon cringed at the mention of their maniacal classmate, before turning back to the topic at hand.

"Should we go to the old mansion?" Kazuichi asked in a hushed tone.

"I can ask Sonia for instructions on how to perform a seance." Ibuki offered, equally hushed.

"Look, I don't believe in ghosts either, but I think it might work." Leon shrugged. "Let's say, Saturday we go?"

Kazuichi shook his head. He was so unsure about this. He  _ knew  _ that ghosts aren't real, but there was something  _ very _ real about his encounter with this Gundham last week. He wanted answers, and the best way to do it was probably to go to the mansion, find nothing, and call it a day.

"Deal." 


	5. The Idiot's Guide to Seances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazuichi, Ibuki, and Leon break into the abandoned Tanaka mansion to make contact with a not so benevolent spirit...

The rest of the week leading up to the soon dubbed ‘ _ Seance Saturday _ ’ passed painfully quickly for Kazuichi. He was not a fan of ghosts, ghost stories, or the idea that this may be a very elaborate prank. His faith in Leon and Ibuki was beginning to waver. 

His inability to trust his friends is what hurt Kazuichi the most, he didn't want to feel that way, but ever since the idea of a ghost came up, he couldn’t help but become even more apprehensive of everyone around him. It’s like he’s going to check his phone sometime soon and find an instagram post of him getting pranked for all the world to see. That would be the absolute worst! He’d have to run away, move to Tokyo or Toronto or New York or something, a place where he could really be  _ invisible _ . 

Even now, as the dreaded  _ Seance Saturday _ was finally upon him, and he was walking with Ibuki and Leon, the former carrying seance supplies in a tote bag, while the latter seemed to be admiring the walk, Kazuichi just wanted to go home and tinker in his garage. 

They had to wind their way through town, and then just out of it where people who owned larger properties lived. Some were humble rural folk, with a woodlot or livestock, others-like the Tanakas-owned massive houses, placing them far back on a thickly wooded property so as to not be seen from the road. 

Approaching the closed gates leading up the driveway, Kazuichi shuddered. He did  _ NOT _ want to be here, he tried to cancel this specific outing with Leon and Ibuki three times in the past week. He doesn't believe in ghosts goddamnit, and he's not about to  _ trespass _ to find out. 

Except he was. Kazuichi had long since fallen victim to the cruel mistress that was peer pressure. Leon hopped the gate, then Ibuki, then Kazuichi. As his feet landed on the leaf-strewn pavement on the opposite side, he felt a wave of dread wash over him. He had reached a literal point of no return. His attempts, however feeble, to get out of this were unsuccessful, and he was doomed to the will of  _ Seance Saturday _ . 

It didn’t help his inner turmoil one bit that it had snowed last night. While it was the light powdery stuff that melted right away, it left a chill in the air that caused the trio to have their breath cloud before them, and bundle up a little more comfortably for their trek. The smell of wet foliage was overbearing on days like today, but Kazuichi could also smell something a little different in the air beyond the gate. 

As the trio got closer to the large mansion the smell grew, he had smelled it before. Lavender, dust, and... hay? 

Immediately, Kazuichi found himself transported back to that night. Practically suffocated by dread, and pinned against the brick wall. He could feel the brick scraping on his arms, as if the scratches that had just healed were opened anew. 

"Guys, I-I really don't know ab-b-bout this." He sniveled. "We should just go h-home."

Leon turned on Kazuichi, an uncharacteristic scowl on his face.

"Look, Kaz, we are right the fuck here, and we are  _ not _ turning back, so quit being a pussy, and let's get this  _ over with. _ "

A wave of anger and shame washed over the pink haired teen. He hated being scolded, and while he knew his cowardice wasn't an endearing trait, he hated when others judged him for it. 

Ibuki rolled her eyes, seemingly disappointed in Kazuichi's behavior as well. This made everything feel worse, his friends were angry with him! A knot tied itself in his stomach. His growing anxiety from his friends’ anger and the overbearing fear and dread he was falling victim to were giving him a headache.

The mansion came into view after five more minutes of walking, and considering its supposed abandonment, the three teens simply walked right on in.

The mansion was dark, despite the grey light filtering through cracks in the dusty curtains, it was difficult to see around. After a brief period of Ibuki, Leon, and Kazuichi awkwardly fumbling in the darkness, Ibuki seemed to find what she was looking for, and spread out the seance supplies. These consisted of three candles, a photo of Gundham, and a spirit board.

"Okay, so when I light these, we gotta hold hands, making a circle around everything, and if he answers, the planchet will move." Ibuki explained. "I need you both to focus, no distractions!" 

Had this been any other situation Kazuichi would have laughed at  _ Ibuki _ of all people prohibiting distractions. He watched in his own horror as Ibuki lit the candles, revealing that the three were in the dining room of the mansion, at the end of a long table.

Ibuki reached out to clasp hands with the two boys, who in turn took each others' hands in order to complete the circle.

"Okay, now close your eyes, and repeat after me; 

_ We are reaching out to Gundham Tanaka. Please join us in our circle when you are ready. _ "

The two boys repeated the incantation, albeit awkwardly, and sat in silence for a brief moment. He wasn't sure he knew what he was waiting for, ever since the gate he felt like he was being watched, he felt the overbearing wall of dread and fear that hit him like a hammer a few weeks ago.

"Gundham, if you are with us, please move the planchet and let us know." Ibuki stated flatly to the quiet air around them.

Kazuichi peeked down at the planchet, which remained still. He opened his mouth to say something to Ibuki, when a loud shriek filled the room.

Jumping away from the seance and each other in fear, the three teens landed hard on the floor of the mansion.

"Run!" Leon cried, as a swift motion from a dark figure extinguished the candles.

Plunged into darkness, Kazuichi only heard his heart pounding in his ears. He was too struck with fear to move, it was like he was being held under a strong gaze that he couldn't see.

"Let's GO! Kaz!" Ibuki screamed.

As if her shriek jogged his senses, Kazuichi hopped to his feet. He could hardly see in the dim mansion light, and he cursed himself for having poor night vision.

He found the exit, and sprinted towards it, he was close enough that he could see the silhouettes of Leon and Ibuki just on the other side of the threshold. He reached out, as if he could grab Leon and the two would make it out of this god-awful house.

But to his horror, the door slammed shut, and at the speed Kazuichi was running, he collided face-first with the heavy door. 

His body grew immediately heavy, as consciousness slipped away from him. He was vaguely aware of his friends screaming on the other side of the door, their voices muffled by the heavy wood.

' _ Wait… For…… Me…!' _

And with that last thought, the pink-haired mechanic slipped away from wakefulness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short disappearance, I had a whole bunch of assignments due in the last two weeks lmao


	6. Some Sort of Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazuichi awakens from his collision with the front door, and learns that he may have been wrong about Gundham in more way than one.

' _ Wait…. For……. Me…..!' _

With a sharp inhale, Kazuichi sat up from where he lay. His heart was racing, his head was pounding, and in a desperate attempt to see if he was in fact  _ not _ dead, his hands flew to his torso.

Still solid, no bleeding. He was  _ good! _

Except as Kazuichi took in the environment around him, his heart dropped from his chest. He was absolutely sure that when he passed out, he was by the front door of the mansion, but now he was on a couch, and, and, he could see? Someone had turned lights on, and now he could see that the windows were blocked out by blackout curtains. 

_ 'That explains why it was so dark, at least.' _ he thought

The room around him was a den with a large unlit hearth across from him, and two chairs on either side of the couch. Photos hung across the walls, and small shelves were packed with books. The room was a faded cream color, with a slightly rococo feel to it. Whoever lived here must have been a fan of the ornate.

"So you're awake."

Kazuichi froze at the strong voice that broke the silence of the room. 

The pleasant organization and decor was fiercely interrupted by Kazuichi’s own fear. He could feel the all too familiar sensation of being watched, and he dared not turn around to face the owner of the voice that spoke to him.

“Uh, y-yeah, I am.” He replied, deciding to face his fears like a man, rather than continue running away. He might have been scared, but he needed to face this person, and get out of this god-forsaken mansion. 

Turning to face his host, Kazuichi felt his fear skyrocket as his gaze landed on the  _ very much not dead  _ Gundham Tanaka, absently reading a book. He wore a different outfit as the photo Sonia showed him, a blazer, black jeans and boots, a grey turtleneck, and a purple scarf that hung loosely around his neck. His heterochromatic eyes left the page, and met Kazuichi’s pink stare. Sighing through his nose, Gundham closed the book, and stood up from the chaise lounge where he sat.

His movements to approach Kazuichi were fluid, accentuated only by the perfect posture he utilized as well. The air around him seemed to tense as he passed, from the authority he seemed to present.

He sat in the chair on Kazuichi’s left, the closest one to the pink haired teen, and his judgemental gaze seemed to soften.

“What is your name?” He asked. 

Kazuichi felt his mouth immediately dry as he drew a blank. Why was he asking this? Why did he care? Why was his voice so…  _ nice? _

“K-Kazuichi S-Souda.”

Gundham hummed, and nodded to himself.

“Why did you, and your lackeys, enter my personal realm uninvited, Kazuichi Souda?”

There was something very calm about Gundham’s voice that caused the fear in Kazuichi’s chest to rise. His whole body was screaming to run, but he found it impossible to move. 

“We, th-thought you were a gh-ghost and wanted to c-contact… you?” 

Gundham’s face broke out into a smirk as he softly chuckled at the response. Kazuichi found himself awkwardly smiling as well, if the action could somehow diffuse his anxiety any easier. 

Yet suddenly, Gundham stopped laughing, and fixed Kazuichi with another overly analytical stare. 

“Why enter my realm, when I made it clear to you in our last encounter you should never see the light of day if I happened upon you again?”

Kazuichi shrunk in his seat, his hands busying themselves with the bottom hem of his hoodie. He was able to break eye contact, but he was scared. Was Gundham going to call the cops? He wouldn't though, ghosts can’t call the cops…  _ Right? _

However, the Gundham that stood before him was very much  _ not _ a ghost, he was a solid living person. Confusion stunted Kazuichi's fear, and he fixed the other with a quizzical stare.

“What are you?” He asked, the question was hardly more than a whisper.

Now it was Gundham’s turn to feel the heat, and Kazuichi noticed almost immediately that the young man was leaning away, avoiding eye contact.

“Th-that's none of your concern!” Gundham mumbled, straightening his scarf.

“That's  _ why _ I’m here, Gundham.” 

At the mention of his name, heterochromatic eyes met pink, and a stare down seemed to occur between the two. Kazuichi was feeling only a touch less scared, while Gundham seemed to be flustered.

“How do you know my name?”

“You’re a ghost, man! People see you around Suich and they think you're a benevolent spirit or something!” Kazuichi barked, standing up.

His head swam, and spots filled his vision before he sat back down. His head began to pound at the movement, and he cradled it in his hands. 

“You shouldn’t have done that, mortal, you were hit fairly hard.” He heard Gundham say, before a small glass of water was handed to him.

Kazuichi sipped at it carefully, glancing up at the other. 

“Aren’t ya supposed to be dead?” 

Gundham sighed, glancing over to the curtain drawn windows, having stood up from the chair to give Kazuichi the water.

“Yes, I am. Upon my untimely death I was cursed to remain on this mortal plane, while my family moved on without me.” 

Kazuichi frowned. He had thought a little in the past of what he would do if his parents passed away, but he had assumed that that would happen when he was an adult with his own mechanic shop and house. He felt a pang in his chest at the loneliness he saw in Gundham’s face. He didn’t know about the whole curse thing, but if Gundham was here alone, when nobody knew he was, he must feel awful. 

Kazuichi thought back to before he met Leon and Ibuki, and realized that despite seeing people all the time, he was still lonely. Gundham must be really going through it, to stay hidden for three years. 

Maybe that's why Kazuichi was still alive, given the circumstances.

“I dunno a whole lot about curses, but don’t you ever get lonely?”

A small smile broke across Gundham’s face for only a short moment before he turned back to Kazuichi. 

“I have plenty of hellish beasts for company, but sometimes I do wish they were mortal.” 

The pink haired teen paused for a second. He needed to think this through, was he actually going to offer friendship to a reclusive goth who isn’t actually dead? The guy was taking care of him, despite attacking him a few weeks ago, and he actually seemed upset.

"Would you mind if this mortal, uh, became your friend?" Kazuichi offered pointing at himself. "I mean, I'm not gonna tell anybody about your curse or anything. I just know what it's like to be alone, it's pretty rough."

"You have mortal companions." 

"I do, but it's kinda awkward, friend groups of three are tough to navigate."

Gundham stepped behind the back of the recently vacated chair, despite his cold features, Kazuichi could tell that he was seriously considering it.

"You won't tell anyone?" 

The question was so quiet that Kazuichi was surprised he was able to hear it.

"I mean, clearly ya don't want a whole lotta people around, or you woulda revealed yourself right? And there's nothing in it for me to be a dick and reveal your 'curse' to everyone."

"I shall think on it." Gundham replied. "I will let you know in the morning."

As the taller man went to walk away, Kazuichi jumped. 

"Whaddaya mean in the morning?"

Gundham paused.

"I've neglected to inform you, mortal, that the outside world has become a frozen hellscape during your slumber. For that I am sorry, but you will have to spend the night. You are ill equipped to deal with such elements in the dark."

Kazuichi stared in dumbfounded silence as he watched Gundham leave the room. 

Risking another dizzy spell, he stood up from the sofa slowly, and made his way over to a curtained window. He pulled it back just enough to peek at the outside world beyond the frosty windows.

Gundham was right, it had snowed since Kazuichi arrived earlier this afternoon, and it had been long since the sun set.

Kazuichi may have not been the brightest, but he knew not to mess with the elements, especially when the elements could kill him in less than twenty minutes. He was also only equipped with a hoodie, his beanie, and a pair of worn-out vans. 

So he returned to the sofa, grabbing a blanket that was draped across the back, Kazuichi wrapped himself up, and fell onto a deep sleep.


	7. Sleepover!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gundham has a tough time thinking about Kazuichi's offer of friendship, is it worth the risk? (tw: graphic description of a car accident, self loathing)

Two weeks ago, Gundham tried to imitate a mortal vigilante. He had the perfect plan, he was going to isolate his victim, feed, and disappear into the night when he was done. 

This plan was another in a list of many desperate attempts on Gundham’s behalf.   
His curse bound him to feed off of the lifeblood of mortals and hellish beasts. While he found he could still eat mortal foods, he noticed that they held little to no benefit for him. He had no choice but to kill at every pang of hunger.

His plan was supposed to be easy for him too! Feed off of the delinquent without killing him, and flee into the darkness. 

The problem was that the delinquent Gundham chose that night was dangerously alluring, with teeth reminiscent of those of the hellish beasts, to the wild pink eyes that hid nothing in the way of emotions. 

He was all too much like the hellish beasts, and the fact that the fool felt the need to seek Gundham out  _ despite _ the cursed man’s attempt to harm him did nothing to quell the confusion that pulsed through his immortal form. 

Gundham sighed, watching his devas scamper through their cages, playing with each other, running on wheels, or gnawing on wooden toys. Sometimes he wished he was a hellish beast like his devas. Cursed with a short lifespan but loved so deeply that every day of that life is fulfilling… and  _ happy _ .

Gundham had to admit to himself that in his current situation, he was not happy. He loved his family very deeply, and yearned for the days where he could help his father rear livestock or join his sister in volunteering for the animal shelter. As much as Gundham tried to be off putting, those interactions were what he wanted.

Sometimes he wished the accident never happened, and his beloved family was still with him, and that he had properly graduated, go to a proper University and get a degree in Animal Science. Sometimes Gundham wished he died too. 

The cursed memories replayed in his head frequently. Gundham recalled every moment of his death. He remembered the awful sounds of tires screeching, the panicked voice of his mother, the crunch of the vehicle breaking through the railing. He remembered feeling cold, and weightless, the world was almost in slow motion as shards of glass and metal floated with him. He remembered the searing pain he felt as frostbite tried to chill him to his bones. 

He remembered a soft voice, almost taking pity on him. That was the extent of the memory Gundham had of the demon who had cursed him. He had attempted to fill the blanks of who this demon was, but it always evaded him. 

Gundham remembered the last of the terrible experience with mounting distress. The memory of waking up at home, feeling ill in every manner possible. He would search the mansion in a delirious state for medicine, each step one of excruciating pain.

Once his body had settled, the only thing Gundham would find was left for him by the demon who had cruelly saved him. 

A fifteen page manilla letter, explaining what he had become. Something that had led Gundham to hide in his own room for months. He tried to emerge as if nothing had happened, but the attention his presence gathered was too much to bear.

It took far longer than it should have for Gundham to understand his curse and the abilities he gained from it. He could transform himself into a hellish beast, a loud creature, often mistaken for a dog by the mortals he tested it on. 

Gundham could also transform himself into a fine mist, it proved beneficial for when he would be accidentally seen by mortals. From the account of his guest, Kazuichi, he had successfully fooled the mortals into thinking him a lost soul with this trick.

On the thought of the pink-haired teen, Gundham’s mind wandered back to the parlor, where he was probably sleeping. Kazuichi couldn't be any older than Gundham was when he had died. This much was clear from the appearance and behaviour of the former. 

Not to mention the faint  _ stink _ of high-school hallways that clung to Kazuichi’s clothes. 

If there was any benefit to being dead, it was that he would never be crowded into a dingy hallway amongst mortals (some of whom would not even consider the existence of deodorant). 

But, he did miss the companionship that some brave mortals chose to share with him. He missed talking with his peers about school events, upcoming exams, their futures. He missed going places like the park, the library, the pet-store. 

Maybe there  _ was _ something worthwhile in the offer Kazuichi made to him earlier this night. The offer of friendship. 

In the morning, he would agree to this offer. He couldn’t stand this solitude any longer. 

With a new lightness in his chest, Gundham changed into his nightclothes, and crawled into his four poster bed. The idea of a friend after all this time sweeping him into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, thank you all for your wonderful kudos, bookmarks, and comments! I am trying my best to keep a consistent upload, as I am currently very busy with my degree, so if I disappear do not fret, I have 20+ chapters planned for this bad boy and I intend to see it completed!


	8. Morning Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazuichi reevaluates some prior choices, Gundham has made a tough decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have returned, and with me I bring a 4 chapter update! Lmk what you think in the comments :)

The morning came quickly for Kazuichi. The sofa he slept on was far more comfortable than he thought, and shortly after Gundham left him for the night, he was deep into a dreamless sleep. The kind where  you forget where you are by the time you wake up, which happened to Kazuichi, and after his initial start, he was ready to face the day. 

Pushing the blanket off of himself, Kazuichi sat up, taking in the coolness of the room. Morning light pushed at the edges of the curtains, threatening to bathe the room in it’s warmth. Flecks of dust flitted by the peeking rays, the only thing interrupting the overall stillness of the ornately decorated room. 

Kazuichi stood up, and wandered the room for a clock, his phone had died in the night, and there was no way for the teen to properly tell the time beyond that. He made his way through the den to the dining room, where a pang of guilt washed through him at the sight he saw.

The seance supplies from the day before were scattered around a corner of the dining room table, the candles were in disarray, the board, bag, and planchette were on the floor, and a houseplant nearby had been knocked over.

Kazuichi and his friends were the reason there was this mess in the otherwise ornate dining room. They shouldn't have come here yesterday, and interrupted Gundham’s peace.

Although, there was one silver lining, in the fact that Gundham was still alive, and that Kazuichi was not aptly murdered by the aforementioned recluse. 

There was also the idea that they could be friends,  _ if _ Gundham ever wants anything to do with Kazuichi in the future. 

Swallowing his guilt, Kazuichi cleaned up the spilled plant and its scattered dirt. Luckily the plant was not completely ripped from the dirt it was in, and was easy to fix. He carefully returned the potted plant to its proper position, and smiled at his work. 

The feeling of being watched caught his attention, and he turned to see Gundham standing in a nearby doorway, with a glint of curiosity in his eyes. 

“I did not think you would be interested in staying after you awoke, or even fixing my house for that matter.” 

Kazuichi stood to his full height, his quest for the time had been forgotten in admitting his own guilt in causing damage to Gundham’s home. Now he had to face the guilt and apologise to his actually gracious, and seemingly undead, host. 

“Listen, I’m sorry we broke into your house, it was a dumb idea and-”

“It is fine, mortal. You are not the first to enter, although you are the first to enter on the claims of searching for my spirit.” Gundham smirked. “You are also the first to apologize.”

Kazuichi shrugged, and grabbed the seance supplies, pushing them into Ibuki’s bag. Regardless of what happens next, he knew he wouldn’t let himself live down the fact he had willingly broken into someone's house. He wasn’t a criminal, his parents taught him right from wrong, but he still trespassed!

“About your offer from last night-” Gundham spoke again, interrupting Kazuichi’s thoughts. “-I would like to accept it.”

Kazuichi stilled, and turned to the goth. Despite his otherwise calm demeanor, Gundham’s eyes betrayed him, and Kazuichi could tell that he was nervous.

A smile broke his face nonetheless, he regarded the taller man as if they've been friends their whole lives. It was almost as if a weight had lifted off of his shoulders now that Gundham had accepted his offer. 

A part of Kazuichi wondered if he was hoping Gundham would accept, that maybe he wanted to be  _ more _ than friends with Gundham?

Kazuichi pushed the intruding thought away before a blush could creep its way to his cheeks, he was not one to deny Gundham’s attractiveness, but now was  _ not _ the time!

“Then how about I come see you every Saturday or somethin’? I got school and work the rest of the week, but I can bring snacks and movies and stuff if you want.” 

The tiniest of smiles broke across Gundham’s face.

“I would appreciate that greatly, Kazuichi.”

The pink-haired boy smiled, before glancing around the room. He was unsure of the next step he needed to take after this. He was not used to being a guest to anyone besides family relatives, Ibuki, and Leon, and even then he was still incredibly awkward at goodbyes. Luckily, his initial quest for the time was remembered.

“Say, do you gotta clock? My phone died, and I don't know the time.” 

“It is eleven thirty.” Gundham replied.

Kazuichi smiled to himself, it was still early enough that his parents would not be suspicious of his whereabouts. He could say that he was at Leon’s overnight or something. 

“You need to leave, don't you?” Gundham asked. “I can lead you out.”

“Sure, as long as you don’t hit me with a door this time.” 


	9. Jogging Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his way home, Kazuichi bumps into friends new and old. Ibuki has a master plan.

The sky was clear, with a bright blue sky. It made the snow outside brighter than usual as the sun was shining wonderfully. Despite this, the air was crisp, with each breath freezing Kazuichi’s nose. He had long since hopped Gundham’s gate, and was now making his way back into town, taking the same route that he took with Leon and Ibuki the day before. 

He was already planning for when he saw Gundham next, what movies he would bring, and different conversation topics to have with the undead heir. 

As deep as he was in his thoughts, Kazuichi was unaware of the footsteps coming up behind him, or of the female voice calling his name. A short while ago, he would have kicked himself for this considering who was approaching him.

“Kazuichi!” 

He jumped, and almost dropped the seance supplies, his heart now racing a mile a minute at the shock.

Sonia appeared on his left, in a grey and pink outfit of athleticwear. Her headphone cord was strung up through her sweater, with both of the earbuds pulled out. Her long hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her face was rosy from what appeared to be her midday jog. 

“S-sonia! You scared me… oh my god…” Kazuichi wheezed, desperately trying to calm his heart. He seriously needed to do something about his anxiety. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry about that, Kazuichi.” Sonia frowned. “Mind if I join you?”

The two continued walking along the road into town. The snow and foliage lined pavement gave way to sidewalks with buildings. Cars lazily drove by, it was a Sunday, and nobody was in a rush.

Sonia turned to Kazuichi, and looked as if to say something, before her eyes darted to the bag clutched in Kazuichi’s hands. A smile lit up her face, and she took an increasingly energetic tone. 

“How did the seance go Kazuichi? Were you able to make contact with Gundham?” 

Kazuichi froze, for only a short second. He hadn’t come up with a lie yet, so he needed to make one on the spot, hopefully Sonia would take the bait. 

“Um, yeah we didn't see anything.” He shrugged. “We were so bummed yesterday we forgot the stuff you gave us, so I had to go get it.” 

Sonia’s excitement dropped, as did her smile. 

“That's too bad Kazuichi. I hope I was at least somewhat helpful?”

“Oh of course Sonia! We’re all really grateful you lent us this supplies so we could at least try this.” 

“That's wonderful at least.” 

The two continued walking on in silence, They turned a corner by the local movie theater where they bumped into Ibuki and… a girl?

“Kaz!” Ibuki cried, practically leaping to hug him.

“Hey Ibuki, I got the stuff we left behind.” Kazuichi replied, accepting the hug and subtly hinting at his friend. 

“Oh cool! OH! You found Sonia too!” Ibuki gasped before hopping over to hug Sonia as well. 

Kazuichi’s attention shifted to the girl that was with Ibuki. He knew she was in his grade, as he had seen her around before, but he had no idea what her name was. She had soft pink hair, and wore a denim jacket over a black  _ Space Invaders _ tee shirt. The bag she wore at her hip was adorned with different pins and buttons each bearing a different video game symbol or logo. 

“Hey.” He waved.

“Hey.” She replied. “I'm tired, Ibuki woke me up too early today to go see a movie.”

“Hi tired, I’m K-Kazuichi.” 

The girl laughed, and Ibuki turned her attention from her short conversation with Sonia to the girl. In astonishingly Ibuki-like fashion, the mood hadn’t faltered in the lull of conversation. 

“This is Chiaki, my cousin! She's staying with me for a while cuz her family is moving.”

“It is very nice to meet you!” Sonia smiled. 

Kazuichi felt like he was missing something, as there was a heavy pause between the three girls, with a faint blush on Chiaki’s face, while Ibuki glanced between the former and Sonia. 

“Aaaanyway, I need to chat with my guy Kazuichi for a minute, so you two, uh, get acquainted, mkay?”

Ibuki then pulled Kazuichi a few feet away, and her tone seemed to do a complete shift.

“Do you think it’ll work?” She whispered intently.

“What, the seance? It didn’t.” He whispered back. 

Ibuki fixed him with an exasperated glance, before rolling her eyes. 

“No! Not the seance,  _ them _ !” She gestured to the two girls, roughly ten feet away now chatting idly. 

“I don’t know, m-maybe?” He hissed. “What's this about?”

“I may or may not be playing matchmaker, okay? Sonia and Chiaki have both been telling me about how they’re so lonely and they want a girlfriend, so here I am, trying to get them together.” Ibuki breathed. 

Kazuichi took a moment to glance between the three girls, as he processed the information he was being presented with. 

“Sonia’s into girls?” He asked.

Ibuki shot him another look that screamed “ _ are you serious? _ ” 

“You are  _ NOT _ the only bisexual disaster in this town Kaz.” She muttered. “Now let’s re-join them and see how it's going.”

In his own amazement, Kazuichi lingered with the three girls over a seemingly impromptu lunch ‘date’ that he could tell was part of Ibuki’s matchmaking plan. He noticed that Chiaki seemed to open up a bit more over the course of the few hours spent together, and Sonia was interested in a great deal of what Chiaki had to say. 

A part of his mind wandered to think about what his life would look like with a partner. Someone who cared about him, who would hold him. Kazuichi could admit to himself that he wanted to be the little spoon, he wanted to be spoiled only to spoil his partner in return. He would build the coolest ride for him and his partner to roadtrip in, they could camp in a tiny trailer and they would have two dogs and maybe a cat and-

On his own topic of animals, his mind flashed to a specific monochromatic gaze, and the smell of lavender. 

Pushing the thoughts completely from his mind and drawing his attention back to his friends, Kazuichi continued to enjoy his lunch. He was not going to think about Gundham at a time like this.


	10. Results

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend is finally over, and now its time for Kazuichi to keep his promise to Gundham. However, a certain someone overhears...

The remainder of Kazuichi’s Sunday, after his impromptu lunch ‘date’ was spent completing his homework that he had left unfinished in favour of playing video games friday evening. Luckily for him, his parents readily believed the story that he had spent the night at Leon’s place, and did not ask any specific questions about what the boys had done on their guy’s night. 

With the seance now almost two days behind him, Kazuichi walked to school enveloped in the icy morning air of the following Monday. He had thought time and again about the tale he would tell Leon and Ibuki. It would be difficult to lie to the two, because Ibuki could sniff a lie out with incredible accuracy. Not to mention that they all were present when a ‘vengeful spirit’ attacked them on Saturday. 

He stuffed his gloved hands in his pockets, as the cold seemed to seep into his bones. He hated weather like this, the school building was older, and as a result would be cold as well. Which meant that Kazuichi would not be able to catch up on any missed sleep in his classes, as he preferred to be cozy and warm.

He was almost too caught up in his delusions of future naps to notice the much hated feeling of being watched had crept up upon him again. 

Kazuichi picked up the pace, knowing that if he needed to run he would be close enough to the school that he could easily make it to safety. The troublesome part was that Kazuichi had no idea what exactly it was that he was running  _ from _ . 

He made it to the school easily, despite the heavy sense of dread he had taken on, and was so caught up in the experience, that when Leon approached him with a pat on the back, Kazuichi let out the highest scream his body seemed to be able to make, resulting in a temporary hush to come across the crowded hallway. 

“Dude!” Leon laughed. “What the fuck was that?”

Kazuichi rolled his eyes at Leon’s attempt to mimic the scream, and opened his locker. 

“I was not paying attention, okay?” Kazuichi bit.

“Obviously! That door musta hit you really hard.” Leon chuckled. 

Kazuichi groaned, a headache threatened to overcome his brain just at the thought of his altercation with the Tanaka’s front door. 

“Anyway, what happened after I was out?” Kazuichi asked. 

Leon shrugged, his previous joviality now lost in the conversation of their paranormal research’s findings. 

“We tried to get in, but the door was locked, and Ibuki wouldn’t let me smash a window cuz she didn’t want to anger the ghost anymore, and then she threatened to snitch me out to the cops if I didn’t back off.” 

Kazuichi frowned. He knew Leon had no qualms about property damage, and he felt like a few details of this account were missing. Instead of trying to press it tho, he decided to enact his rehearsed lie.

“Yeah, I woke up and it was dark out, so I just went home. Had to go back yesterday for Ibuki’s stuff though.” He sighed, as if the experience was more of a hassle than anything else. 

“That’s rough. Any sign of a ghost?” Leon asked.

“No. I think we just got caught in some lame prank or something dude.” Kazuichi responded, successfully maintaining a casual-yet disappointed-demeanor. “Sucks to say it but I think that that guy who attacked me a few weeks ago was just some poser.” 

Leon shrugged as Kazuchi closed his locker, and then put his arm around his slightly shorter friend.

“Well, we can't say we didn't try, eh? Now let's go get some hot chocolate from the cafeteria before we gotta go to class.” 

The two were on their way, starting to mimic Kazuichi’s scream from earlier, each teen getting more high pitched than the imitation before, until they left the hallway in a fit of laughter. 

However, they were unaware of the spectator they had had for that entire conversation. The spectator who knew himself well enough that in a crowded hallway he could blend in so easily, like the disposable trash he believed he was.

Kazuichi and Leon had no idea that their believed-secret conversation was heard in full by Nagito, who’s mind was set racing at the bold  _ lie _ that Kazuichi so readily told his friend. 

A lie that Nagito was going to prove wrong. 


	11. Ghost Fanatic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gundham has an unexpected visitor to the mansion, and is forced to reconsider the fragility of his secret.

One thing that’s quickly learned in a three year period of isolation, is the unmistakable sound of the mansion doors creaking open. Gundham snapped wide awake at the noise. It was well past dark out, and the snow outside provided a dim yet bright enough light for him to navigate his home in a wraith-like silence. 

He watched from his second floor as a scrawny and unkempt teen entered the mansion, and shined his flashlight around for any sign of life. 

Gundham watched as the teen scanned the foyer, and then made his way to the den. He noted that the teen seemes close in age to Kazuichi, but radiated a much less welcoming energy. He seemed to be searching for something, searching for… Gundham?

A hot wave of anger flew through the breeder. He was such a fool to believe that his secret would have been kept by someone so obviously foul. He had been too caught up in the idea of a companion, and now his home would become a tourist attraction for the bored masses of Suich’s teens. 

He shuddered at the idea. He hated the thought of his mansion crawling with unwanted human guests, and he hated even more so the thought that these teens, without supervision, would probably bring their rancid contraband into his abode, and the smell would seep into the walls of the mansion and-!

“LIAR!” 

Gundham froze at the sudden scream from the teen, now in the kitchen of the mansion. He made his way to the dining room, and listened through the door to said kitchen as the teen seemed to be... monologuing?

“I know there’s a ghost here, and that Kazuichi is a fucking LIAR!” The teen hissed at his reflection in the cooking utensils. 

“I’ve seen Gundham, with my own eyes, and I’m not about to have Kazuichi of all people g-gaslight me into thinking ghosts aren’t real!”

Gundham ducked under the dining room table as the teen stormed back towards the door. He watched as the door swung open and the teen looked around. 

“I cannot believe the audacity of that fool, taking away hope in an afterlife like that. Just a total fucking-‘oh yeah bro! I totally woke up and then went home after the door hit me! Bruh it was a headache for days!’-punkass.”

Gundham had to put a hand over his mouth at the many factors of this situation. His own shame at the previous anger he had directed towards Kazuichi, this teen’s impression of Kazuichi, and his own relief at Kazuichi keeping his secret. He could admit that maybe the only factor at play here was directly related to Kazuichi. 

The teen left the dining room, and from the noise of his  _ impossibly heavy _ footsteps, the teen was headed upstairs. 

Gundham let out a breath of relief, he was so far successful in avoiding being found out by this teen, and was on his way to being left alone for the night, until a lightning like jolt flew through his body.

The Devas! 

His beautiful and fearsome Dark Devas of Destruction were snug in their cages, in his bedroom, which he had so foolishly left  _ UNLOCKED! _

Gundham flew to the kitchen, and with the fear and passion that only stems from his devoted care of his devas, he began to throw pots and pans around the kitchen to make the loudest racket he could. He then threw open the kitchen door to the outside, and ran through the snow and into the woods. 

The amatuer paranormal hunter in his house couldn’t have gotten far into the upstairs before hearing the racket, and it would likely come back quickly to investigate. Gundham froze a good one hundred yards from his house, and placed his hands firmly together. 

He learned quickly that with his curse he could become nothing more than a fine mist that skirts along the ground. It made avoiding detection easy enough for him, and with proper use it rendered any physical traces of him nonexistent. 

He watched from his misted veil as the teen began to follow the tracks into the woods. In the opportunity presented to him, Gundham returned to the safety of his kitchen, and shut then locked the door. 

He materialized himself in order to sprint to the main entrance and do the same with its own heavy oak doors. 

Leaning against the sturdy wood, Gundham listened for the teen. He waited in his own anxiety for what felt like an hour, before he could no longer take his own paranoia. 

Gundham flew up the marble stairs and down the western wing to his room. He sighed with relief when he opened the door to find his chambers untouched, and the Deva’s sound asleep in their nests. 

A shaky sigh of relief exited the breeder, along with the terror and tension he had been carrying since the arrival of that boisterous teen. 

His Devas, and his secret, was safe yet another day. 


End file.
